Means for collecting gas analysis samples



Nov. 19, 1946. W, J, FENE ETAL' 2,411,157

MEANS FOR COLLECTING GAS ANALYSIS SAMPLES Filed June 8, 1945 S'W/Tcf/ 5a Tre/er Z INVENTORS 4 GEORGE L F/es/vs a WML/AMJ. FEA/5 Y/@mwmmn Patented Nov.l 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE i MEANS Foa COLLECTING GAS ANALYSIS SAMP William J.` Fene and George L. Freas, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to the Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Interior Application June 8, 1943, Serial No. 490,062

2 Claims.

(c1. zap-257) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1833,` as

in accordance with the provisions of the act of 5 April 30, 1928, (Ch. 46D, 45 Stat. L. 467) .s

This invention relates to gas analysis and more particularly to a method and means for collecting gas analysis samples. Still more particularly, this invention relates to means for collecting gas samples from diiiicultly accessible locations.

In many industrial applications, it is highly desirable to analyze gases present in locations which are diicultly accessible. cation occurs when a coal mine has caught fire or otherwise contains poisonous or noxious gases. Another such application occurs when the Samples of gases must be collected from the lower portions of deep bore holes in the earth, from the holds bottle.

of ships being fumigated and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and means for collecting samples for gas analysis. Another object is to" provide a remotely controlled gas sampling deretracted position by a light coil spring.

vice. Still another object is to provide a gas sampling device which is adapted to collect samples of gases from difcultly accessible loca-- tions. Other objects will be apparent hereinafter as the description of this invention proceeds.

In accordance with the present invention, gas samples are collected from dificultly accessible locations by introducing'therein an evacuated container, and thereafter, by di'stantly controlled electrical means successively admitting gas to said container and sealing said container.

The invention comprises mechanism to obtain samples of air or gas, and utilizes a sealed evacuated container which may be positioned where it is desired to obtain a sample of the air or gas, 40

lar remotely controlled devices, to re-seal the container to permit its removal to a desired location for examination of its contained gases.

Referring now to the single sheet of accompanying drawings:

Figure l illustrates in diagrammatic form one arrangement for collecting gas samples.

Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section of the sampler itself and the electrically controlled unsealing and sealing mechanism.

.amended April 30, 1928; 3.70 O. G. 757) One such appli- 15 Figure 2, which shows the retaining means for holding the container in the housing.

In the drawing, and referring to Figure l, the sampler housing I is shown attached to a threewire cable 2, shown in this embodiment as a three-wire cable which is wound upon. a reel 3. The reel end of the three-wire cable 2 is connected electrically to the slip rings 4, 5, and Ii.

Two of the slip rings, 4 and 5, communicate with a switch 'i which is of the ordinary single-pole, double-throw type. The central terminal of the switch 'l is connected to one. terminal of a battery 3 which may be of the ordinary l5-volt B-type. The other terminal of the battery 8 is connected to the remaining slip ring 6.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawing, the sampler I comprises a perforated housing 9 having a hinged door and adapted to hold an evacuated container IEE which may be a glass The evacuated container I il is provided with an elongated tip II or other frangible seal ing' device. Positioned closely adjacent the frangible seal II and shown at right angles thereto is a solenoid coil I2 having a plunger I3 held in P0n sitioned axially of and in line with the frangible seal Il is a cup or other gob-holding device lll which contains parafline wax, bitumen, or other plastic sealing material. The cup ill is frictionally mounted in a retaining seat positioned on one end of a shaft l5 and is provided with a helical spring adapted to force the shaft I5 rmly against the frangible seal II of the evacuated container IEl. The shaft I5 is normally held in the retracted position by the latching means I6. Adjacent the latching means i6, which is preferably constructed of electro-magneticl material such as a steel or soft iron, is an electro-magnet I'l, which, upon being energized, retracts the latching means IB, allowing the shaft I5 to force the gob-holding device I Il against the frangible seal II of the container lo. One terminal of the solenoid I2 is electrically connected to one wire of the three-wire cable 2. The other terminal of the solenoid I2 is connected to one terminal of the electro-magnet Il and is also connected to one wire of the three-Wire cable 2. The remaining terminal of the electro-magnet I'l i-s connected to the third wire of the three-wire cable 2. The Wire of the three-wire cable, which has been connected both to the solenoid I2 and the electro-magnet il is connected through the slip ring to the battery 8. The remaining two electrical connections, one from solenoid I2 and the Figure 3 is a section along the lines A-A of 55 other from electro-magnet I1, are connected through the three-wire cable 2 to the remaining slip rings 4 and 5.

In operation, the sampler I is opened and the shaft I5 is latched in vthe retracted position by the latching means I6, the cup I4 being then lled with plastic sealing material. The evacuated container IIJ which is preferably a glass bottle under high vacuum and provided with an elongated frangible tip II, is inserted in place and held by retaining means such as spring clip I8. Sampler I is then lowered or otherwise placed in the difcultly accessible location and the switch 1 is closed in position to electrically activate the solenoid I2. Thereupon the plunger I3 is thrown violently against the frangible sealing means I I, resulting in the rupture of the sealing means II. The gas to be collected, which freely penetrates the perforated housing 9 is thus by vacuum quickly drawn into the container Ill. After an interval sufciently long to permit the filling of the container III, the switch 'I is reversed in such a manner that electro-magnet II is energized. Thereupon the latching means I6 is retracted and allows the shaft I5, at the end of which is the gob-holding cup I4 lled with plastic sealing material, t0 be propelled, through the action of the helical coil spring, firmly against the opening formed in the container I0 by the previous rupture of the frangible seal II. The container Ill is now sealed against contamination from other gases through which it may pass and it can be withdrawn to the station of the operator. The gob-holding cup I4 is frictionally seated in position in a retaining cap so that upon again retracting the shaft I5 the cup I4 is retained upon the container I0 by means of the plastic sealing material.

It is apparent from the foregoing that a simple and effective gas sample collector has been provided by this invention, as well as an operative method for collecting gas samples from difcultly accessible locations.

Although the sampler is especially suitable for collecting gases such as polluted air or air containing fumigants, hydro-carbons, and the like, .5',

it is not restricted in application to such gases, but may be used for any gas collection problems where it is desired to analyze a gas obtained from a difcultly accessible location.

Although the preferred housing is of the per- 1,

forated sheet metal type it can as well be made of plastic, wire screening, impregnated fibre or any other material which is of suitable strength. Parafn wax is the preferred sealing material,

but bitumen, synthetic resins, gum rubber or f,

many other materials can as well be employed.

Since many apparently widely differing ernbodiments of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art, it should be understood that vario-us changes may be made in the details,

said container, a solenoid within said housing and normal to said container axis adjacent to said tip, a plunger in said solenoid normal to said container axis held away from said tip in relation thereto by a spring, saidplunger being adapted upon energizing the solenoid to advance toward, strike and rupture said frangible tip, a reciprocable shaft journaled in the lower portionV of lsaid housing coaxial with but spaced apart from said tip in relation thereto, said shaft being adapted formovement toward and away from said tip, a cup-shaped cap open toward said -tip on the end of said shaft adjacent said tip, a spring to propel said shaft and cap toward said container, a cup holding a sealing plastic frictionally held by said cap, a retaining flange on the end of said shaft remote from said tip, a latch pivotally supported about an axis normal to but displaced laterally from the shaft axis for movement toward and away from said flange, a spring connecting said housing and said latch normally urging the latter into retaining engagement with said flange when said shaft is in retracted position away from said container, an electro-magnet substantially normal to but spaced apart from said shaft and pivoted latch to disengage the same upon actuation, a three-wire flexible electric cable leading from the top of said housing for supporting the same, one terminal of said cable being connected to said solenoid, a second terminal being connected to said electromagnet, and a third terminal being connected both to the solenoid and the electromagnet, a shaft-supported reel carrying said cable, three sliding contacts on the reel-shaft electrically connected respectively to the three wires of the cable, a battery, one terminal of which is electrically connected through one sliding contact and the cable both to the solenoid and the electromagnet, and a single pole, double-throw switch having the two outer contacts connected respectively to the remaining two sliding contacts and the central pole to the other terminal of the battery so that either the solenoid or the electromagnet Acan be energized.

2. In apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, the combination of an electric power source with an electrically-contro1led gas sampling device actuated thereby, a multipleconductor electric cable connecting said source with said sampling device and supporting the latter, reeling means engaging said cable for varying the effective length thereof, and a switching device connected to said cable for selectively energizing pairs of conductors therein, said sampling device including a protective perforated housing supported by said cable, an evacuated container detachably secured in said housing longitudinally thereof, a frangble tip depending from said container for unsealing the same upon rupture, a solenoid containing a plunger adjacent said tip and at an angle to said tip axis in rela'- tion thereto such that the plunger moves in a path to engage said tip to rupture the same, and two electrical connections from said cable to said solenoid.

WILLIAM J. FENE. GEORGE L. FREAS. 

